GLAAD - Presidential Citizens Medalhttp://www.glaad.org/tags/presidential-citizens-medal
enJeanne Manford, PFLAG Founder, To Be Posthumously Honored With Presidential Citizens Medalhttp://www.glaad.org/blog/jeanne-manford-pflag-founder-be-posthumously-honored-presidential-citizens-medal
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-featured field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img class="media-image" height="159" id="2" style="margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; width: 425px; height: 159px; ;;" width="425" src="http://www.glaadblog.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/manford_0.jpg?itok=AwBw5J3D" alt="" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.glaad.org/blog/jeanne-manford-pflag-founder-dies-age-92" target="_blank">Jeanne Manford</a>, the late founder of <a href="http://pflag.org" target="_blank">PFLAG</a>, will be honored posthumously with the <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/02/08/president-obama-honor-recipients-2012-citizens-medal" target="_blank">2012 Presidential Citizens Medal</a> at a White House ceremony on February 15. Jeanne founded PFLAG, an organization for parents, family, friends and straight allies of LGBT people, in 1973, a year after she joined her openly gay son, Morty, to march in what is now New York City's Pride Parade.</p>
<p>From its early days distributing educational literature to organizations around the country, PFLAG <a href="http://www.glaad.org/news/rachel-maddow-eulogizes-pflag-founder-jeanne-manford-video" target="_blank">expanded to become a national non-profit organization</a> with hundreds of affiliates. After witnessing decades of parents like herself growing to embrace their LGBT children, Jeanne <a href="http://www.glaad.org/news/how-queens-home-became-cradle-gay-rights-movement" target="_blank">passed away</a> at age 92 in January.</p>
<p>The Presidential Citizens Medal recognizes Americans who have “performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens." Fellow hero of the LGBT movement Janice Langbehn, who spoke at the 2011 GLAAD Media Awards, <a href="http://www.glaad.org/blog/janice-langbehn-honored-presidential-cititizens-medal" target="_blank">also received</a> this prestigious honor for her work to ensure all Americans are treated equally when visiting loved ones in the hospital.</p>
<p>Jeanne's daughter, Suzanne Manford Swan, spoke about the Presidential Citizens Medal, saying, “I was able to share the news of this honor with my mom before she left us and I only wish the President could have seen the amazing smile that spread across her face. My family is deeply touched by this honor and to represent the PFLAG family values of love and acceptance.”</p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pubdate field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">February 8, 2013</span></div></div></div>
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Fri, 08 Feb 2013 20:30:30 +0000daniheffernan62299 at http://www.glaad.orghttp://www.glaad.org/blog/jeanne-manford-pflag-founder-be-posthumously-honored-presidential-citizens-medal#commentsThe White House Interviews Presidential Citizens Medal Recipient Janice Langbehnhttp://www.glaad.org/blog/white-house-interviews-presidential-citizens-medal-recipient-janice-langbehn
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-featured field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img class="media-image" id="2" style="float: left; width: 214px; height: 125px;" src="http://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Janice%20Langbehn%20GLAAD.jpg?itok=g_AJG-3R" alt="" />Last Thursday, Janice Langbehn <a href="../../blog/janice-langbehn-honored-presidential-cititizens-medal" target="_blank">was honored</a> with the Presidential Citizens Medal at a ceremony held in the White House. Before receiving her medal, Janice was <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/10/26/janice-langbehn-2011-presidential-citizens-medal-recipient" target="_blank">interviewed</a> about the heartbreaking experience that led her down the path of advocacy. The White House has now posted the video of that interview, which you can watch below.</p>
<p>Janice lost her partner, Lisa Pond, in 2007 while they were on vacation with their children in South Florida. Lisa experienced a brain aneurysm and was hospitalized. Despite presenting hospital officials with legal documentation proving that they were a family, neither Janice nor their children were allowed to see Lisa before she died. In response to its anti-gay policies, Janice filed a federal law suit against the hospital. The court ruled against her, but she says, “I have continued on with the message that it’s not a gay right to hold someone’s hand when they die, it’s a human right. And Lisa didn’t deserve to die alone.”</p>
<p>After hearing of Janice’s story, President Obama went on to revise laws for federally funded hospitals around visitation for lesbian and gay couples. Speaking of this policy change and of being honored for her efforts, Janice said, “It really cements that I know that the last four and a half years since [Lisa] died, that as I’ve spoken out about what was so wrong about what happened that day – that I was in the right to speak out.”</p>
<p>GLAAD once again congratulates Janice on receiving this prestigious honor and thanks her for being a strong voice in the movement towards LGBT equality.</p>
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Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:17:25 +0000daniheffernan39923 at http://www.glaad.orghttp://www.glaad.org/blog/white-house-interviews-presidential-citizens-medal-recipient-janice-langbehn#commentsJanice Langbehn Honored with Presidential Citizens Medalhttp://www.glaad.org/blog/janice-langbehn-honored-presidential-cititizens-medal
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-featured field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img class="media-image" height="138" id="2" style="float: left; width: 170px; height: 138px;" width="170" src="http://www.glaad.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Janice%20Langbehn.jpg?itok=xMMVCwAk" alt="" />Yesterday, Janice Langbehn received a <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/12/president-obama-honors-recipients-2011-citizens-medal" target="_blank">Presidential Citizens Medal</a>, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor. Janice was welcomed to the White House along with 12 other recipients to receive the medal. Since 1969, presidents have been awarding the Citizens Medal to individuals who have performed exemplary deeds of service to their country or their fellow citizens. Speaking about <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/10/20/president-obama-presents-2011-presidential-citizens-medals" target="_blank">this year’s recipients</a>, President Obama said, “They exemplify the best of what it means to be an American, and I am honored to be able to offer them a small token of our appreciation.”</p>
<p>Janice’s service to her fellow citizens stemmed from personal tragedy. While on vacation in South Florida with her family, Janice’s partner, Lisa Pond, suffered a brain aneurysm and had to be hospitalized. At the hospital in Miami, a social worker informed Janice that she was in an “anti-gay city and state,” and neither Janice nor their three young children were allowed to see Lisa before she died. Feeling devastated and wronged by the hospital’s actions, Janice sought help from GLAAD and Lambda Legal in filing a federal lawsuit that elevated her story to the national level. When President Obama heard of her abhorrent ordeal, he personally apologized to Janice and her family and eventually revised hospital visitation protections for lesbian and gay couples. Janice has since become an icon and an advocate for LGBT equality.</p>
<p>GLAAD congratulates Janice Langbehn on receiving this prestigious honor and thanks her for courageously sharing her story of loss to draw attention to inequality and make a difference for the LGBT community.</p>
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Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:52:51 +0000daniheffernan36635 at http://www.glaad.orghttp://www.glaad.org/blog/janice-langbehn-honored-presidential-cititizens-medal#commentsJanice Langbehn will Receive Presidential Citizens Medalhttp://www.glaad.org/blog/janice-langbehn-will-receive-presidential-citizens-medal
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-featured field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><img class="media-image" height="220" id="6" style="width: 79px; float: left; height: 150px;" width="116" src="http://www.glaad.com/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/pres%20citizens%20medal.jpg?itok=mQhCM-aD" alt="" />We at GLAAD are extremely proud that our dear friend Janice Langbehn has been picked as one of this year's recipients of the <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/citizensmedal">Presidential Citizens Medal,</a> recognized as the nation's second-highest civilian award. The Presidential Citizens Medal honors Americans who have “performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens.” From the <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/12/president-obama-honors-recipients-2011-citizens-medal">White House official statement</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Janice Langbehn, Lacey, WA</strong></p>
<p>While on vacation with her family in February 2007, Janice Langbehn’s partner, Lisa Pond, suddenly fell ill and was rushed to the hospital. Langbehn was refused access to her partner, who had experienced a brain aneurysm and later died alone. With the help of Lambda Legal and GLAAD, she filed a federal lawsuit and worked to get her story out to the nation. Janice's story received attention from President Obama, who personally apologized to her for the way she and her family was treated. He went on to revise hospital visitation rights for gay and lesbian couples, which went into effect this past January for any hospitals receiving federal Medicare or Medicaid funds. Langbehn receives the Citizens Medal for her efforts to ensure all Americans are treated equally.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><img class="media-image" id="7" style="width: 170px; float: right; height: 146px;" src="http://www.glaad.com/sites/default/files/styles/250x215/public/janice.JPG?itok=sPPBjAVQ" width="250" height="215" alt="" />We echo the sentiment of the Administration that she is well-deserving of recognition for her tireless advocacy. We have been honored to <a href="http://www.glaad.org/tags/janice-langbehn">work closely with Janice</a> over the last several years, and GLAAD was one of the parties that nominated her for this award. “This year’s recipients of the Citizens Medal come from different backgrounds, but they share a commitment to a cause greater than themselves,” said President Obama. “They exemplify the best of what it means to be an American, and I am honored to be able to offer them a small token of our appreciation.”</p>
<blockquote><p>"It breaks my heart to even imagine how it must feel to watch the person you love most in this world slip away without having a chance to say goodbye," said Mike Thompson, Acting President of GLAAD. "Janice's bravery in the face of tragedy and her courage to share her story in order to make a lasting difference for all of us is a true inspiration. We offer her our most enthusiastic congratulations and gratitude to this advocate who has helped make our nation a safer place for everyone."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Janice will receive the award next Thurday, which is <a href="http://www.glaad.org/spiritday">Spirit Day</a>, and will be wearing purple to the ceremony in honor of the occasion. Watch her moving speech from the 22nd annual GLAAD Media Awards here:</p>
<p> </p>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pubdate field-type-datetime field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">October 12, 2011</span></div></div></div>
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<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/janice-langbehn">Janice Langbehn</a>, </li>
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<li class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/presidential-citizens-medal">Presidential Citizens Medal</a>, </li>
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Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:24:42 +0000aaronmcquade35016 at http://www.glaad.orghttp://www.glaad.org/blog/janice-langbehn-will-receive-presidential-citizens-medal#comments